Concerned by the spate of unsafe sex by adolescents in the country, an NGO, the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, says there is a need for increased information about unsafe sex to reduce the consequences.
According to the NGO, current studies indicate that about one-quarter of Nigerian adolescents are sexually active, with the age of sexual debut ranging from 10 to 15 years.
The Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), has called for the inclusion of sexuality education in school curriculum to help curb unwanted pregnancy amongst teenage girls.
Making this known in Lagos, NURHI representatives, Modupe Oluwatayo and Tella Oladipopu, said part of the factors responsible for unplanned pregnancy, especially teenage pregnancy, is early start of sexual activity, streamlined to lack of sexuality education in school curriculum and sexual violence which could be rape or coercive sex.
Advocacy Nigeria, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), on Friday called on the Federal Government to introduce sex education in schools to address maternal mortality, especially at the grassroots.
Dr Rukaiyatu Ahmed, the rapporteur of the group, made the call in Abuja while presenting report on Promoting Accountability in the Implementation of Maternal Health Services in Adamawa, Gombe and Zamfara states.
According to Ahmed, sex education is necessary in schools because they are central for deliberating the values the nation wishes to transmit to its young one.
